Flashes of Blue
by Icy Rundas
Summary: Another Rundas one-shot featuring the same girl, Eli. I could turn this into a story, but I need feedback, so...yeah. This is the longest one-shot I've ever written! :D


It took me two-and-a-half weeks to wake up from my Dark Samus Phazon-induced coma. I was given my P.E.D. debriefing and given information on the others. Ghor had woken up first (it took him a week) and had gone to Skytown on Elysia. Gandrayda woke up three days later and went to the Space Pirate Homeworld to investigate. Rundas woke up a few days before myself, and was sent to Bryyo. I remember raising my eyebrow at that. Why send the ice being to fiery Bryyo? I couldn't figure that out…anyway, Sister Samus had yet to awaken from her comatose state, but the medics assured me that she'd wake up sometime soon.

Apparently, something had happened on Bryyo, because the Federation had lost total contact with Rundas. Usually, I tagged along with Samus, as her medic, but since she was still out of commission, I was the only one the Federation would send. I wouldn't admit to anyone, probably not even myself, but…I couldn't help but feel slightly worried about him. He was the only one of the five of us besides Samus and I that tried to be even remotely friendly to the others. Except, perhaps, for Gandrayda, who seemed overly friendly. Samus and I had talked about her a few times, and it was clear to me that Samus did not care too much for the shape-shifter. Ghor, on the other hand, could be nice at some times, but he was a bit nasty when he was melded with a machine. I, myself had seen it first-hand, and it was a bit unnerving.

As soon as I had set foot on Bryyo, I could feel the heat radiating from the land, and I wondered for the second time since I had woken up why they had sent Rundas to such a hot place. I went cautiously down the path, staying weary in case I was attacked. And I was, when I went through a door. Two reptilian creatures lashed electrically-charged whips at me, sizzling my skin when one of them made contact. I hissed quietly in pain as I brought my pike in to finish the beast off. I hit the other in the head to stun it and then I pushed it off the ledge to its death. I pressed my hand to the fried skin on my arm and a blue-ish-green glow started to repair the damaged cells. I sighed and kept going, making a running leap to a big pillar in the middle of the vicinity. I raked my surroundings thoroughly with my eyes for any signs of Rundas. When I didn't see any flashes of blue, I heaved another sigh and kept going. I hummed as I went defending myself from hostiles. After receiving a message from the Federation, I went to a downed Federation ship to investigate. I did so, and on my way back, I saw a glimpse of familiar blue.

"Rundas?" I called curiously, with a bit of worry. He left and I tore after him like a madwoman. I was so used to having a partner it was a bit hard for me to function like a bounty hunter on my own. I needed someone to follow, someone to make decisions. With Samus and me, everything just fell into place. She was the fighter, I was the healer. I was there to provide medical assistance and backup only if necessary. Samus was a long-range fighter, who, with her grappling hook, had a few short-range moves as well. I, however, was total short-range. I had my weapon, a pike, and some knives just in case. While Samus was a bit slow because of her weighty metal suit, I was nimble and quick, partially due to my skin-tight, black bodysuit. Sometimes I wore a helmet if the atmosphere was supposed to have any bad effects on my health.

Before I knew it, I had lost sight of Rundas. I frowned, disappointed.

"Damn," I cursed softly, "I lost him." I took my slight frustration out on the next enemy that attacked me. Soon enough, I had to take my ship to Bryyo's Fiery Airdock. When I landed, I spotted Rundas' ship. Its engines were still warm to the touch. I patted the metal fondly, smiling to myself a little as I continued on my way. I got to a door that had been encased in ice. I peered at it curiously for a few seconds before shattering it with the end of my pike. I opened the door and went through. I saw him again at the top of the room. My eyes met his and mine widened.

"Rundas," I whispered. He regarded me silently for a few seconds. Then he turned around slowly and left. I narrowed my eyes in frustration and started to climb up to the top of the room. I pulled myself up to the last ledge to find a door. I pushed it open and ran inside. There in front of me, where maybe two dozen Space Pirates, now coming at me. I wasn't expecting their assault. They got a few good hits in before I finally reacted. I threw my pike at the nearest one, and my daggers at two more. I took my pike out of the abdomen of the fallen Pirate and swung it at another. The Pirates that were standing by started firing their weapons at me, and they weren't all missing. They were aiming for my important organs: head, heart, torso, arms, and legs. I took as many out as I could before more started to come closer to attack me physically. My arms and legs were riddled with shots, and one of the Pirates had slashed me in the stomach. I fell to my knees, clutching my stomach. I waited for them to finish, but the pain didn't come. I heard a noise on both sides of me and I looked up to find that the Pirates had been fully sheathed in ice. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a familiar face. I took no time in healing my stomach and the worst of the wounds on my arms and legs. I picked up my pike and watched Rundas take out the rest of the Space Pirates. It didn't take very long. But I didn't expect what happened next.

The next thing I knew was a giant wave of ice headed right towards me. My tendons screamed in protest as I side-flipped to dodge it. Shock. Why would he be attacking me? I searched my mind for answers and blankly jumped out of the way when he sent a second wave of ice my way. I finally found my voice.

"Rundas! What's wrong with you?" I had always known that I was the weakest fighter out of the five of us. I knew that I wouldn't be able to win against him. I would have to just keep dodging him and hope that he came to his senses. I evaded wave after wave of ice, growing more and more tired each time. He had sent a chunk of ice flying towards me, so I bended backwards to avoid it. Then, I couldn't feel my right foot. He had distracted me with the chunk of ice to catch my foot in a wave of it. I tried to shatter the ice with my pike, but to no avail. The more I struggled, the more the ice crept up my leg. Soon, my entire lower body was covered, and the ice was crawling up my stomach. I kept trying to smash the ice, but it had little to no effect. As I brought my pike up to try one more time, he approached me. I attempted to defend myself, but he just knocked my pike away. I squirmed and squirmed, trying to free myself. Now he was very close, only a few feet away. My eyes met his for the second time, but this time, the only emotions inside mine were fear and despair, mostly the former. In his, I saw hints of pain and…longing? I opened my mouth to say something, anything to stop him, or even to stall him. Nothing came out, though, except his name as a whisper on my lips. From this close distance, I noticed a slow stream of Phazon leaking from his P.E.D. and I understood what must have happened. He had used it too long and it had taken over him as a result. By now, the ice had numbed my lower body and I had no way to defend myself. Healing and short-range minor combat were all I knew. I shivered as the ice ascended even further, to stop just below my breasts. Rundas came closer, to my disdain. I closed my eyes. He touched my face and I flinched slightly at the sudden contact.

"What…what do you plan on doing with me? Rundas, you're not yourself! The Ph-phazon has corrupted you!" I pleaded. He shook his head. The pain in his eyes changed to hysteria, but the longing remained. I sucked in a quick breath. The ice made it a bit hard to breathe, and that wasn't doing much to calm me down.

"Rundas…if you don't let me go, I'm going to get hypothermia," I pressed. I gasped when he touched the Federation tattoo right below my collarbone. His touch was cold and unexpected. I let out a squeak when he narrowed the distance between us even more. His intentions for me had become clear. My pleadings for him to let me go were all useless. In the back of my mind, I wondered vaguely if Sister Samus and if she had woken up yet. I decided to try one last time.

"Rundas, I c-" He cut me off by covering my mouth with his. My mind turned hazy and I thought my cheeks were going to catch on fire. He pulled away suddenly and the ice retreated. I fell forward into him, my support still numbed. He stepped back and stared at me. I watched him while I rubbed my legs absently, trying to return the feeling to them. I pulled shards of ice out of my remaining open wounds and watched as he stepped back a bit more. I looked into his eyes a third time, still seeing the longing. The hysteria, however, had turned into sadness and remorse. Ice began to form at his feet. My eyes got big when I realized what he was going to do.

"Rundas, don't!" I picked myself up and tackled him. Instead of killing him like he had planned, the ice just plunged through his left arm and my right arm. His suicide plan had been conquered and he tried angrily to throw me off of him. I held on as hard as I could, trying to block out the pain in my arm. He managed to throw me off and tried to kill himself a second time. I scrambled back on top of him and ice below us stopped. I laid on top of him, breathing heavily. I put my hands on his torso and pushed myself up, staring at him concernedly. He glowered at me.

"That's the coward's way out, Rundas," I whispered quietly, "and you're not a coward…" I got off of him slowly, in case he tried a third time. He didn't try again. I lightly traced along the gaping hole in his arm with my fingers.

"This…might hurt." I placed one hand on top of his arm and the other on the bottom. My hands started glowing with a bright blue-ish-green light. He flinched and tried to pull away so I tightened my grip.

"I can't heal you if you keep moving. You'll bleed out."

"…good." It was the first word he had spoken to me since he had saved Samus and I from Meta Ridley back on Norion.

"Rundas…why did you try to kill yourself?" He stayed silent. I sighed as I finished repairing his arm and started on my own arm.

"Please talk to me, Rundas. I need to know what's going on inside your head."

"…you should have kept fighting me. Why didn't you keep fighting? I…would have gone further…" I paused my healing and looked up at him.

"I…would have let you go further," I replied with soft blush coating my cheeks as I went back to mending the bloody hole in my arm.

"You…would have let me? Why…? Eli, you were scared out of your mind…" I finished fixing my arm and stood up, shaking it a little. I went over and sat next to him.

"Well…I've been quite…fond of you, for some time. Yeah, I was scared out of my mind, but not for the reasons you think. I was afraid because you weren't you. You were corrupted." He shook his head again.

"I would have acted the same if I had found you like that-"

"And I wouldn't have minded," I interrupted. He scowled at me and said nothing. I sighed.

"You don't believe me. Do you?"

"…no." I stared at him in disbelief.

"You don't believe that I like you? Why is is so hard to believe?"

"You are you, and I am me," he spoke simply.

"That didn't stop you earlier."

"I had no control over that…" I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. But what if I…" I stood up quickly and leaned over him.

"What are you doing?" he inquired stiffly. I smiled softly at him and put my lips on his. When I pulled away, he was ogling me blankly.

"Do you believe me now?"

"…I think I need some more proof." I sniggered and kissed him again. I pulled away again and started to stroll away.

"Eli, where are you going?" I smirked and kept walking.

"Meh, if you wanna know, you're going to have to follow me and help me finish this mission. Oh! And no more P.E.D. for you." He got up and came after me.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just go already." I gave him a smile and set my hand on his arm.

"I'm just glad you're still alive, Rundas. I wouldn't have liked to give that report back to the Federation. Or to Samus."


End file.
